Old Forester has released Triple Char Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky, the latest addition to its limited 117 Series — and a production milestone: it is the first expression crafted entirely from whiskey distilled at the brand's Louisville Main Street distillery, which has operated as a working production facility since 2018.
The 375 mL bottle carries a suggested retail price of $64.99 and is bottled at 115 proof (57.5% ABV). Availability is limited to the Old Forester Distillery at 119 W Main St, Louisville, and select Kentucky retailers.
The Barrel Technique
The defining production choice behind Triple Char is an extended charring process: the barrels used for maturation were charred three times longer than Old Forester's standard specification. That prolonged char deepens the whiskey's contact with carbonized wood, accelerating the extraction of oak compounds and intensifying the spirit's structure. Tasting notes from the distillery describe pecan praline, crisp apple, and stone fruit on the nose; baked apple cobbler, cinnamon, and oak char on the palate; and a finish anchored by rich oak, soft leather, and a hint of sweet licorice.
Caleb Trigo, Assistant Master Distiller at Old Forester, framed the release in both technical and symbolic terms. "The extended barrel char allows us to showcase that spirit in a completely new way," Trigo said. "The result is a bourbon with remarkable richness, intense spice and a depth of oak that demonstrates both our heritage and our continued spirit of innovation."
The 117 Series Context
Launched in 2021, the 117 Series functions as Old Forester's experimental platform — a vehicle for showcasing distinctive barrel programs, unconventional production techniques, and small-batch releases that sit outside the brand's core lineup. Previous expressions have included 1910 Extra Extra Old, Whiskey Row Fire, and High Angels' Share, each built around a specific production variable or provenance story.
Triple Char fits that framework but carries added weight as a proof-of-concept for the Main Street facility's distillate. For on-premise buyers and specialty spirits retailers, the release signals that the Louisville distillery is now generating mature stock capable of supporting prestige limited releases — a meaningful marker for a facility that spent its first several years building toward that capacity.
For beverage directors curating American whiskey programs, the Triple Char's production backstory — provenance tied to a specific distillery address, a documentable barrel specification, and a 115-proof bottling strength — offers the kind of differentiated narrative that supports premium by-the-glass or cocktail menu positioning. Industry observers tracking craft bourbon and distillery tourism trends will note that the release is structured to drive traffic to the distillery itself, reinforcing a hospitality-forward retail model that has become increasingly common among Kentucky's larger producers.
Operators interested in the broader bourbon category can find additional spirits and beverage program coverage across the RHFNews network, including reporting from our sister publication Food & Beverage Magazine.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
